Real Kyper & Bourne - Canada Comes Up Big in 4 Nations Final

Episode Date: February 21, 2025

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee look back on Team Canada's overtime victory over Team USA in the 4 Nations final on Thursday night in Boston. They get into Canada 'needing a win,' Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews stepping up on the winner-take-all stage, Jordan Binnington's game-saving performance, Connor McDavid's OT heroics and much more. Then, they wrap up on the US side of the game before discussing the success of the 4 Nations Face-Off at large and potential tweaks for the next running of the tournament. Finally, they take some calls on the Canada Line!The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

All's well that ends well. For every Canadian hockey fan out there, including our very own Sammy McKee. He did pass the breathalyzer before the show. He is under the legal limit. Welcome into the Real Kipper and Bourne show. We are live on Sportsnet 590. The fans, Sportsnet 360 and Sportsnet Plus. Justin Bourne, yours truly, Nick Kiprios, Derek Brandeo,

and Jen Rollnick with you for the next two hours. As Sammy looks like he just gave birth. He is one happy guy. for the next two hours. As Sammy looks like he just gave birth. He is one happy guy. On the back of Connor McDavid, who became the second player to score an overtime goal to clinch an international NHL tournament. It was Darrell Sitler nearly 50 years ago.

Yeah, and that doesn't include the Olympics, of course, but that's the end. His goal at eight minutes and 18 seconds of overtime off the back of a Mitch Marner pass secures Team Cat in his victory and the first ever Donald J. Trump Cup. I didn't know they had named it that. Buddy, 20 years from now, I will look at that trophy and it will be the Trump Cup.

No kidding. That's amazing. How did you do that? His finger was on the scale enough. It's all over this tournament. So we took the Trump Cup back to Canada. Yes. We took it from their province and brought it home.

Out of their hands. Yeah. I mean, there was a political undertone to the whole thing. There's no doubt about it. And that gave it a lot of the weight that the tournament had. So yeah. I think when we left the show about 24 hours ago, we had said three, two, Canada win. We did say that.

We agreed on a score which almost never happened. Sammy, you okay? Tell us about your night, Sammy. I have one overwhelming emotion from today, from the moment that puck entered the net, from everything. And the only emotion that really resides in my brain, outside of euphoria, happiness, feeling like I wanna rub it in their face,

is just extreme relief. And when Marner, that digs that puck off the half boards, fires it right out in front, right onto the stick of Connor McDavid, I didn't even really need to watch it go in you knew it was entering the net and I just here we got the clip of it here if you're watching on sportsnet I got to tell you oh there's no feeling in sports like your favorite hockey team scoring an overtime winner goal. There's just there's no sports moments at top set.

There's nothing as final. There's nothing as euphoric and to have it be Connor McDavid in this situation with everything that's around this that we've talked about all week to have it enter the net like that. I honestly can't believe we got that moment last night. Like I truly am almost brought to tears watching that and thinking about that.

And you can talk about made up, you can talk about everything, but those guys out there played one of the highest level games you could ever imagine. And... Hella bucks not within a foot of catching that by the way. And we just beat them. We just beat them like we always do.

Every time it gets to that situation, we always win. Okay, let's follow it up with a kippers clipper on Canada's big win. Let's start with head coach John Cooper on How he feels about Canada needing this one. Can you sense what this win might have meant back home for a number of reasons? I mean You know Canadian junior team losing back-to-back years in the quarterfinals and you know The country's national pride have been dented from that as far as its sport. Political tensions really boiling over the last few days, just everything combined. And I know you tried not to have that go into your room for a game like this, but now that it's over, can you sense the magnitude of this victory?

Well, I just hope Canada's proud. Because every player in that room is proud to be a Canadian. And yeah, did we need a win? Not only like our team, but Canada needed a win. And the players bared that on their shoulders and they took it seriously and this one was different. This wasn't a win for themselves. This was a win for 40 plus million people and the guys knew it and they delivered. Oh never cried on TV before boys, but only it I mean Yeah, it it's very it was very emotional for everybody last night there was it was personal this thing turned real fast

into Very personal like they struck a nerve, you know, and they still do. I'm listening to the press secretary from the White House saying that they were looking forward to beating what we will soon see our 51st state. It's like Ted Cruz said, we'll play you for Canada. It's just it was more than just a hockey game or an exhibition game There's something belittling about the whole thing, right?

Like I know that Canadians get you know accused to have an inferiority complex But how can you not with that sort of like, you know off-the-cuff? Dismissal from the highest levels of government of our neighbor You know that we by the way went to war with and fought and died beside and all that so it Canadians beyond the young generation were hurt by a lot of that I think and so yeah, it did take on higher level higher stakes And I you know, it's just a game of course But I know but this one wasn't and our team played in a way that people I think are proud of right

Discipl disciplined hard hockey They take a penalty that game. There's only one penalty card, which I loved America America did not the US did not get a power play. No, they did not so You know you see that the tweet or whatever it was on true social from Donald J and I mean maybe I'll borrow JT Miller subscription to that account to try to see if I can see something from him, but I didn't see anything today. You know, it's just so quintessentially American

that like, you know, I see everybody down there being like, oh, it didn't even matter anyway, the second the puck enters the net. Meanwhile, all they did for a full week was talk junk, they're better, we're better. And it just, you know what? You're not and I'm sorry like you don't have Connor McDavid That's what makes Canada Canada is that they can have guys that you know, they're getting closer

They're coming along but right now they don't got guys like Connor McDavid. They don't have guys like Nathan McKinnon They don't have guys like kale mccarr They when it comes down to it, it's close, it's tight. But the best guys from Canada always rise above. And they did again last night. It's a torch pass moment. Eighty seven, ninety seven golden goals. Fifteen years later, fifty years in a week, I think it was between their goals.

It's just as sweet as it gets for Canadian fans. Like, I can't imagine it be any sweeter than it is today. Truly. Where do you want to start just in terms of the overall feel or look of the game for you? You want to go into the overtime goal? JB, I'll let you go first. Well, I think one of the things I'll take away

from that game was it was really hard for anyone to look good offensively. The D was so tight. And I think John Cooper deserves a lot of credit for seeing that Mitch Marner was one of the guys that was making little plays and, you know, elevates him accordingly, gets them on McDavid's line. They're able to have success. Yeah.

Cooper deserves credit for sticking with Bennington the whole way through McDavid or what he did with Marner. Like I just thought everything he touched turned to gold You honor with two big plays for Canada It can't be easy to look down that bench and see all these respective superstars from their own teams and then start figuring out in a hurry who Who's going out on the ice next? Doesn't go and even Marchand kind of struggled a little bit with the speed game now Who's going out on the ice next? Mark Snow doesn't have it tonight or can't skate with this tonight.

Doesn't go and even Marchand kind of struggled a little bit with the speed game now. Mitch, you mentioned Marner. Did he have three shifts in the second period? And I guess the story goes that I think Rick Tocque, it kind of got into Cooper's ear a little bit. You got to get this guy out More in the third period Marner. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I thought he was impactful right from the start. I got I've never That's as impressed with Mitch as I've been in a hockey game in terms of decisiveness

Reads he was great defensively the slip past the Bennett obviously which is if you're talking about the two assists The slip past the Bennett obviously which is if you're talking about the two assists The way more beautiful one is the Bennett one where he senses that he's cutting in front of them Drops it through to him Bennett shoots it upstairs Impactful. Yeah, let's go to John Cooper on lifting Mitch Marner in the third period You know Stoney was I thought that line had great chemistry but you know ultimately in the end as that game went on Mitch had legs tonight and

That kid can make plays and as we saw tonight he just needed one chance to make a play and he did and and just you know comes down to a gut feel and how the guys are going. And I felt that those three guys could do it, and they did. Some of the, you know, the best players gotta be your best player sort of thing. Nathan McKinnon was an absolute force. Kale McCarr.

This game's so funny too, because a Mitch Marner and I watched them and I've watched them very closely over the years and there's just such a fine line between success or what's interpreted as a non-successful game and the narrative could have easily gone the other way. What was the difference between Mitch last night or Mitch in any game sevens is sometimes that you make a great pass and the difference was Sam Bennett scored. He didn't shoot it into the goalie's chest.

He passes it to McDavid. McDavid Barry is the winner. Those guys miss the net and they lose in overtime and he doesn't rise to a big occasion. Connor McDavid did not have a great game. Mm-hmm. Right? It was like matching game one against Sweden. I think Mitch was good against Sweden but he had a big moment. He couldn't, he was fumbling the puck everywhere. Everywhere. Looked tight, looked tight as hell. Did not look, scores the game winning

goal. Player of the game, I don't know what they gave him MVP and make your uncle. But it's just such a fine line for these guys. And what's deemed a success and what's not take Austin Matthews. Matthews was 10 out of 10 for me last night. I mean, he was all over the puck and overtime. He felt like the only guy who could score for the US. He was all over. I expected Austin Matthews to look like that the whole tournament yeah he showed up too late yeah well whatever he was fan final they were in the final and he was great in

the final in the biggest game but the thing is my point he was fantastic and picks Mitch's pocket there in the you know it's robbed by Bittington he's all over it it doesn't quite go under an arm or whatever yet. He scores the overtime and Bittington doesn't save it. He's like the greatest play greatest big time player that ever lived now. And so analytics tries to find the guys who we don't pick out because they don't have the big moments but still play well. But if you play well often enough, we'll have the big moments. Yeah. And I think if you're a Leaf fan watching that game, both guys with two assists, both guys all over the play, where it was tough to be all over the play, I think an encouraging day at least for them as we do our Leafs Hour here. I think that going into this game, any Leaf fan would tell you that this hasn't been a great tournament for the Leafs.

And they've had three of the biggest stars in this tournament and you know they talk about Willie going out early, Matthews and Marner both not being particularly great outside of the three on three winner for Marner but in the biggest game of the tournament the two Leafs were two of the most impactful players on the ice. I thought Marner outside of Bennett outside of McKinnon for me was the best the best forward on Canada and Matthews for me was probably the best forward on America like this is Brady Kachuck's a beast Yeah, you're right. Good Chuck was the best Kachuck then Matthews So I just and it's amazing how quickly it flips like you said and they don't

McDavid doesn't even get that opportunity. Mitch doesn't get that opportunity to help Bennington Yeah, God, so I think that's what's amazing about Just the sport of hockey in general Where when it's at this high of stakes? the line in the difference between Like you know when John Cooper not John Cooper's area Paul Maurice last year talked about when he got asked about what if you guys blew? The 3o lead and he's like I don't want to live in that world Like I don't want to live in the world where I came in today and Jordan Bittington didn't

stretch across and Catch that shot from my least favorite player on planet Earth Brady Kachak if he doesn't catch that puck I don't want to think about what we're doing today Yeah, it's just it's a horrible thing to even go through but if you think about it like that's the fine like think about the whole world it's it's not really fair though right it's but it's just the way it is we have Scott Niedermeyer on yesterday and he's talking about how he's on for the Golden Goal first guy in for the hug And he says roll it back cough it up

I cough it up Luongo bails me out one squeaks through Luongo there Niedermeyer is the goat You know the how we used to use the term goat go. No. Yeah, not the not the hero go Yeah, it's a it's a totally different world. That's I think for a lot of Americans that watch that game There's a there's maybe a misunderstanding About what hockey is because in let's say football if you're a wide receiver You almost can't be the guy who cost him to give you a you can drop the ball or whatever But there's no way like in hockey you can go down that way and almost be the hero and nine seconds later be a failure You know like it can turn on you like that every shift

Which is why nerves are they play into hockey like almost no other sport You have to be able to have that composure the Canadians have won Stanley Cups and had the composure in the end They have the guys so I said to you before the game good for these guys to be in a big pressure moment You kind of like laughed it off. They've had lots of big pressure moments not bad though. No, no It's nice. It is David. It is and it should make them feel different coming in for sure But some of these guys again, there's still kind of the same players They were before they just get a lucky bounce or someone's exception someone puts the puck in and now it's a different perception.

McDavid has not had team success yet and then he shoots one in and now they have. It's like, but if Matthews finishes it two shifts earlier, he's still a failure. We have it off. For sure we don't think about it already. But there's a big difference between giving it to Conor McDavid to end the game or maybe Pontus Holmberg to end the game. And then Mitch is a failure because Pontus couldn't hit the side of a barn. Well, yeah, I don't know how many shifts Pontus and Mitch have played together.

You get my point, though. Yes, I do. All right, let's go to John Cooper on the outstanding goal-tenning last night from Jordan Bennington. Clip 7. I mean, if we can be perfectly honest, probably the most scrutinized position going into this tournament was goaltending and For me it was you've got your guy and you're rolling with your guy and He I never doubted one ounce about ever pulling them ever taking them out of a game ever

one ounce about ever pulling him, ever taking him out of a game, ever, you know, losing confidence in him because his gamemanship, his ability to rise at the big moment and then even tonight, you know, were there stressful moments for both goalies during the game? For sure there were, but we didn't, it wasn't somewhere where if this game was in one one in regulation we were gonna sit there and say you know Jordan Bennington saved the game. But when it came to overtime and we needed them most, you know make the saves you're supposed to and then make a few that you're not. And he saved his best for last. And that's what winners do. And there wasn't a chance I was not going to back the winner.

Oh my God. Oh my God. I'm feeling it again. Just give him the spot next February in the Olympics. He's the goalie. What choice do you have? Do you have to kind of watch in Thompson is ready. Yeah Look if he's in 880 and Logan Thompson's the 9 was he this year 892. It's not that far off Oh, I know no, and he's barely the guy. There's no zero question that starting goalie next year

Did you want to watch a little bit of the beginning of next season? He lets him muffins all the time. What's his saber? He's not had a good year, but this is a management group and we poo-pooed them myself included for not including Logan Thompson and Others that have been great this year but they know him better than anybody else and they trust him more than anybody else and these big games like and I saw a Peter Bofor. I don't know where he covers. We were see athletic tweeted out But they know him better than anybody else and they trust him more than anybody else in these big games like and I saw peter bau from I don't know where he covers, but he works the athletic tweeted out Uh, you know, he's a flawed goalie, but his career numbers and winner take all games 29 to 30 saves in 2019 second round Game seven against dallas 32 or 33 in the stanley cup final game seven against boston 31 to 33 in the four nations face-off final

There's It's just it's you can't just as a rational, it's just, it's, you can't. Phil Simons is a rational confidence guy. But you can't quantify clutch. You just can't. And he is. Like he just, those three results alone show you that he is, so it's amazing.

And you gotta give a ton of credit to that blue line, which probably we'd look at over the course of 20 or 30 years of Team Canada blue lines and say this one could arguably be Amongst the weakest outside of the the superstar. Yeah of Kale McCarr. But also I mean we're without Petrangelo, Theodore Morrissey those were big hits three of our 6d weren't in that game

And I know some of the Americans were missing guys too, but we weren't those were big hits three of our 6d weren't in that game And I know some of the Americans were missing guys, too, but we weren't missing nobody big hits. Yeah, I will say Nobody on earth aside from people who watch the Dallas Stars knowing about Thomas Harley being that good I know a lot of people are going we knew he was that good Okay, that's fine. Most people weren't aware that Thomas Harley has that level. He's still a young kid though, right? How much did he end up playing last night? It had to be over 20. He was out there a ton. He was out there at the end of the game. He was 18-19 minutes somewhere around there. He played just fifth most. But he... Really?

Yeah. He was... He was out there more than that. He has a level that like I'm confident he'll be in Italy. This guy, we know what he's done offensively in the league. I't know that he was physical that he was long that he skates like that So an absolute bright spot I own not knowing hardly played 2156 last night So yeah, was it still his fifth least or I'm not ranking them right now, but yeah, I just looked at that I thought I mean he played two games in the tournament and they were the two biggest pressure cooker events. And he seemed unfazed. Totally unfazed.

Alright, let's hear from Jordan Binnington on what Cooper may have said to him, clip one. I think just saying he's proud and just enjoying the moment together. There's a lot of noise in this game and I think that was a moment that we got to share with each other. And I'm just grateful he shared that confidence in me to get the job done. And it's been incredible just seeing him on a day to day

and just how he can work a room and just lead a meeting and inspire the guys. It's been awesome. That Cooper's got the secret sauce, man. I think his level, like his, how calm he is, generally calm, like that sort of, he's not like this, helps in the big moments. Maybe he's not the best at rousing guys or something,

but bringing everyone down when everyone's already fired up I think he does that really well by the way Thomas Harley played the third most McCarr caves Harley Wow my bad I had a second a Sandheim. I like he played a lot, but no it you got to give the guy a ton of credit and watch that clip before we came on the show today of Him screaming to be selfish and then yells McDavid or McDavid Marner the second they go out there well I guess it probably wouldn't have been a great place to pass from David probably should get selfish there but you know it's just but he says guy handling the pot there you're alone you got time yeah reason to get it off that

quick and okay speaking of let's go to Connor McDavid on Canada's game winning goal. Yeah, you know, just couldn't believe it really. You know, just just excited for our group. Honestly, everybody was so dug in, you know, starts, you know, months and months and months ago, with management, going out and picking the team, and the coaching staff coming together and then obviously the players doing what we do it's been a big a big production and it's just sweet to have it all come together.

You want to follow it up with Marner's pass from Connor? Sure let's do it. Minji makes a great play that's a great great play it's kind of the system you know that Boxing One system you know the center man and the play. It's kind of the system, you know, that box-in-one system. You know, the center man and the D-man can kind of go, so if they get crossed up, that spot can be open. And Mitch, he did a great job of finding it. Yeah, when you watch it on a replay, and Mitch finds the one area of the ice

where he knows he'll get some time to make a play, and the puck obviously goes around the boards. Oh nice, we gotta hear you. Right? This is the 15 millionth time I've watched this today. And I don't know how many guys would have been smart enough to buy himself that much time in that particular area. That's tendency is to go to the net or go into the traffic and the patience that Mitch showed was the reason why he can do things sometimes that other players can't. I thought it was just a brilliant play

and a brilliant pass. How did you see the game winning goal? Because there's a lot of breakdowns on Austin Matthews on that particular play. What did you see? You know, so I think it all starts with Fox. Fox doesn't cover the right guy off the face off, so they're kind of chasing.

And then when he gets behind the net, Matthews wouldn't see him through Hellebuck. So in that system, the zone, they're kind of playing. Someone's got to go to Mitch. So in that point, he's, you know, okay. But Fox was ahead of Matthews. He can't see Fox because he's behind Hellebuck. So he's already, he's a step ahead. He's like, he took a step or two and at that point Fox should come back in front of the net. I think it looks worse than it is for Matthews, but it's a great play by Marner to take advantage of a step. You know, Fox by the way, that whole weekend.

Fox did not play well, but he's not blessed with speed. Fox. Yes. And he's not the biggest guy. And that played a factor in this. And we talked earlier about Stone, even Reinhardt. Very smart player, much like Mark Stone. Very smart.

Great offensive. But you need to, in this game, you need to be smart and fast and quick. Yeah. Yeah. Physical. That's the only way you kind of stood out. You know what's funny is I feel like there was a level here of speed where there isn't in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Like when you're playing a playoff roster, there's some slower guys, whatever. Reinhardt, Stone, Ryan O'Reilly. These guys can still maintain their effectiveness by finding these pockets when Everyone skates like like at that level I don't know that you can play like I wrote stock up stock down for a lot of these guys at the Olympics Like I can't Brad Marchand love his career. He's been wonderful

I don't think he skates well enough to skate at that level and it's that levels too high It's a totally different game, I have to. And it's, you know, you just need to. Nullify certain guys to your point, Kip. Like, Reinhardt, quite as effective. You know, still really good and smart and physical and great, but can't quite get to where he needs to get. Kind of missing something.

Yeah. If my, I mean, if we're rolling that goal again, because I just wanna watch it again. But the play that Marner makes that's more impressive to me even in the past is that's a hard rim on The Dasher from Kale McCarr and to be able to dig that off the deck Like that's the hardest playing how you guys both play hockey to very high level you know how hard it is to dig a puck off the off the the Dasher like that and For him to do that and then have a guy coming right at you in one motion one motion being right on the tape and he shoots it in

that's just it's as good as it gets like that's that's so hard to do it's so hard to do that is a well-placed shot too this is my favorite angle of shot his gloves a foot beneath the poverty goes no never even close all right let's's we got to hear from Sidney Crosby on perhaps thinking about passing the torch. Interesting clip. Let's play it. Yeah. I mean, it's you know, it really is like you said, a new generation and a new group of guys.

I think, you know, with some of those prior teams, there was a lot of guys that have played together in the past, you know, with some new guys sprinkled in there this was a totally new group for the most part and just to see you guys come together over the last you know 10 days and and see the excitement see how much it meant to everybody now it was it was a lot of fun and then obviously US was a pretty good team. They pushed and obviously Binner made some great saves there, but give a lot of credit to them. They were a tough team just like the other ones, but they really played well. Hey, how about how no one really knew what to do with the trophy?

Everyone's like, are we going to do a Stanley Cup? All of us go out with this thing? Like. See, I didn't, I didn't find it that awkward. No? No. I kind of feel like they shouldn't have done that. Like not that it mattered,

I just did find it a bit awkward. Like guys were like. Well look at, look, that's real emotion out of Crosby there. Real emotion. He started it and. Set the tone, set the tone. To me these guys are like. The only one I kind of questioned a little watch Connor

Because it's not the cup yes, the one he's gonna lift over his head. Yeah is the Stanley Cup That's why I didn't catch that. Oh, I caught that right away right away. So I think the first nine guys had cups Yeah, so it's like no problem. This is a this is whipped cream and a cherry on top of my sundae Right away. Right away. So I think the first nine guys had cups. So it's like, no problem. This is whipped cream and a cherry on top of my sundae. Connor's missing the ice cream. He's got just chocolate syrup. Love that I scored.

Love that we stuck it to the US. But I can't quite. But it's not the Stanley Cup. That's what I got out of his lift. And that's how I felt watching them all do it. Like even guys who had won the cup, it was like, I can't be quite as thrilled as I've been in the past. It's good.

But at the end of the day, it's just, I told you, it's just a trophy. It's just a made up trophy. And for sure. That's it. We the the win is the win. We still hold the title of who cares about that country in the world for hockey. This is just like... Mickey Mouse invitation.

But it was... Yeah, I found it okay. And I think it was overall very well done. It sounds like viewership through the roof, I think. Almost 7 million people. Yeah. Wow. 6.9 million people watched.

Here in Canada. That's the number I got time of the goal It is like peaked at seven three or something Yeah, it was pretty remarkable number for Canadians and you consider we got 40 million in the country or whatever the number is Can we we just talk big picture about this like I mean Gary Bettman's I? Mean, I mean, I'm not a citizen radio, but you say they want his wettest dream of all time This is above that like he could not This was the most perfect storm you get out of this tournament now and sure McAvoy's hurt Kachak's hurt

There's some injuries by the way from the leaf angle again inter division stars got hurt There listen, there's there's definitely some stuff coming out of this that aren't great But you come out of it with Matthews healthy out of this that aren't great, but you come out of it with Matthews healthy, McDavid healthy, like the biggest guys and you get everything you had, the ratings, the eyeballs. Gary could never have imagined it being this good in a million years. Right? Lightning in a bottle.

All right. You know what? Let's, let's go to break and then we'll pick up off that conversation. And, uh, we got Brad Marchand. Now we're going to talk. god. Do we want to hear Brady Kachucks? We are talking Kachucks. The new American stars. Those guys are now, if they weren't already, but they're their names now. Kachuck. Thank you, Gilbert. Okay, plenty. Do not go away. We're only warming up here as Canada holds the title. Best hockey country in the world.

Back after these words. Everything you need to know about the Blue Jays, Blair and Barker. Be sure to subscribe and download the show on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Nick Kiprio, Justin Bourne, Sammy McKee. We're going to get into that big picture conversation, Sammy. But let's just kind of wrap up on the U.S. side here,

including Brad Marchand, who really set them up yesterday. You hated that clip. You were yelling at me for saying it. I was fine with it. I just didn't want to listen to a guy play the karma card, which is a really old kind of Canadian- One of the oldest tricks in the book. Tricks in the book. 100%. Just build them up just to see them fall.

And that's exactly what happened, right? For sure. The US got what they deserved last night. They really did. I'm sorry, but they got what they deserved last night. They really did. I'm sorry, but they they they got what they deserved last night a big L And while we can sit there and and praise Brady Kachuk and and Matthew a little bit and If I started a team tomorrow, I'd want them both on it. Oh, yeah, but

Matthew Kachuk selfish what selfish selfish Because he's trying his heart to be out there for the Americans. No, that's the problem. Okay couldn't play Yeah, we knew he couldn't play he was hurt. He was injured. Meanwhile, Kyle Connor, fourth, sixth best scorer in the league. A healthy Kyle Connor sat in the stands while you refused to acknowledge that you couldn't play. Wow, you're right. You're so right. Keep her going, baby. Keep her going.

No good, I'm sorry. But you're not that big of a star that you at no percent is better on the bench than Kyle Connor. Connor's sixth in points, sixth in goals in the NHL this year and they, I don't, and I don't know if he had a little tweak or something, but he's by all reports he's healthy. Can't have that happen, guys.

Yeah. Can't, you can't win. That hurt them last night. Big time. Yeah. can't can't you can't we got hurt them last night big time? Yeah, big time and you should have acknowledged it. You should have said I'll go out and warm up. I just know he knew he knew he couldn't play. He didn't want to give up his spot Tough tough night for Jets fans in general Connor gets scratched Morrissey's sick Hellebuck doesn't't get the wind to get him over the hump. I mean, if you're a Jets fan

and you watch that first goal go in, you're like, I watched that happen 15 times in the first round. A floater through traffic. Puts his gloves like, ah, I couldn't have saved that one. From Colorado. Yeah, from McNaded.

Like, I'm kidding. Yeah. All right, let's hear from Brady Kachuk on his thoughts. Oh, yes, let's please. Both the clips, let's play them. Honestly, I was convinced we were gonna win. Oh, I bet you were. Yeah, just everything happens for a reason.

There's a reason why we didn't win tonight. Yes, because you really lose. Maybe in a year's time, it goes the other way. Like that overtime was crazy, you had some chances. How would you describe that? I mean, it could have gone either way. Just sucks it didn't go ours. Sammy's having way too much fun.

Sam, Sam, do you think they got a lot of respect in the handshake line? Don't bring me back to that. Listen, I think he was incredible last week. Yeah. Oh no, like I said. He was impactful in everything he everything. I do love them both Don't get me wrong, but in that particular moment you cannot be bigger than the team

You're right hundred percent especially at the national level like it's one thing It's a Stanley Cup playoff game and you got like, I don't know trying to play over Nick Cousins Or whoever's coming into the line, but when it's like Kyle Connor who could potentially play it's a different thing So if we're gonna praise the Americans at all Jacob Slaven is unbelievable. Yeah, probably the MVP for the Americans how many Perfectly timed defensive plays that he make last night the spin around on Sid the shot block on Seth Jarvis in the slot. He was out of control good last night. I tell you what to that that Favor no, yeah. Oh, yeah. What a player. Yeah that guy when he's out there

Yeah, he can slow even at that pace He can turn around look at two or three options and have the poise to make the best one like they're that that pair like very very impressive but but Slaven like how about him at 6.3 for the next four years 2035 years they're stealing him I mean in Carolina if you gave him another 1.2 million you could get Morgan Riley that guys that guy's a ten million dollar defenseman no question He is absolutely his in terms of impact the problem

And this is where we're talking about how or I said like analytics can help us find these guys There's no stats his agent can take to the team and be like look he look at the shot suppression Look he look at the shot suppression. Yeah Right that doesn't get you 10 million, but it should it should it's coming though It those those that's not for him. They'll be a nerd I don't want to count them. He's really gonna watch people play just like him and make 40 million. Oh, yeah When he signed that contract was was it a long ago? Was it an eight-year one or six-year came over anyways, I think it's four year five year No, he was really really impressive. So that's my and that's the end of my praise for them. I guess but I

Were you know just anywhere else you want to go or Sammy mentioned? He's a big picture big picture I don't know you mentioned Gary Batman and how excited he must be I don't know you mentioned Gary Bettman and how excited he must be The only thing probably, you know, you are we gonna nitpick a little bit That's up to you pal. I don't know. I mean the game should have been played on Wednesday not Thursday, but It's tough guys are turning around. They're traveling today. They got us play some of them by 1 p.m It's just just to go go over the I don't think that's a nitpick I think that's totally fair if you know if we're talking about like how do we move this forward without having guys really put their respect of clubs or the rest of the season in jeopardy like yeah that's

we kind of had this conversation the other day but like is there a possibility of better protecting these guys? Moving forward so we have the intensity we have the passion, but we're not crazy here We're not Putting these guys in a position to get hurt or moving forward Find themselves not focused or attentive to playing a game. Yeah, but what's hard is Hockey like all this stuff is an entertainment product, right? You're trying to get people interested You want them to watch you want to sell tickets and get ratings?

That's the best thing we can possibly offer and you don't want to take that away And so if it comes at the cost of other things Most hockey fans in the world, not you, me, Sam, guys who watch every little detail maybe, most hockey fans would say, I don't care what you have to change to keep that. That's the thing I want to keep. That's the crown jewel. But the people that sometimes make the decision have never really truly know or experienced

like how hard it is. Yeah. Or the demand or the pressure or the this or the that. Just to go home on the pressure. McDavid scores that OT winner last night. He didn't play very well. How about the relief that he gets to breathe? Because otherwise his reputation takes a hit nationally about big game guy didn't score in game seven in the cup didn't score you know like all the sudden he gets that relief because the pressure is so strong you're right it's heavy on these guys and it bothers me that you move a game that should have been on a Wednesday to a

Thursday because ESPN won't move a basketball game you know it's like yeah sorry sorry but the game is Wednesday game's Wednesday a basketball game last night Yeah Was Lakers Hornets, it's tough to I'm joking LeBron had an unbelievable dunk in that game. I guarantee you it was not a signature game. It was not it was not right absolutely and that's How do you do it? How do you do it again? Connor Mcdavid is gonna play another 10 years and he's gonna have to

Every other year do that what a lot no like I I'm all for this but I don't think With this one when you go to the Olympics I think you kind of know the pressure and what it's gonna entail But I think all these guys knew they were gonna play hard. But I don't think they like, I'm tired from this. You're tired from this. You're tired. Imagine what Connor McDavid feels like right now.

He's flying up, he's like, I'm going to Philly. I gotta ask, what do you think their blood alcohol levels got to last night? You know, like a number. North. It'll still be lower than what there there's are during an All-Star weekend. You're right about that. But still, like those guys of course had to celebrate that they're never together in a moment

like that. What time do they get to sleep? 4? Yeah probably. 5 a.m. And yeah, puck drop for some of those guys would have been 30 hours later. Yeah, and if I'm not mistaken, next year, are they not doing an NHL All-Star weekend? I don't think so. I think it's the same with the Olympics, right? Oh, it's the Olympics next year, right? Yeah. Okay, so when do they have? Oh, they're doing both?

Yeah, I think they are. They are doing both. They are, you're right. Because if you don't, you can't have it the fall. In two years, you're doing another one of these World Cups So like you're doing an all-star weekend and then you're gonna put them on a plane From New York surely the guys in the Olympics on in the all-star game to are they? But he does the same guys. It's long. They're all they're all they're all the same guys They're all the same guys. 2026.

So imagine now, imagine now an All-Star weekend and then jumping on a plane to go play in Italy for the Olympic gold. Does anyone know what these guys got paid for winning? They're gonna, yeah, the championship team will probably, I don't know, 100 grand, I don't know, 50 grand, 100 grand. Like a million bucks for the team.

Maybe, yeah, something, but still not enough for changes Still not enough in my eyes. No Derek what number did you buzz in my ear there again? Yeah, apparently Apparently it was nine point three million people watch it in the States Yeah, so you're looking at 16 million people in North America or something. It's a good number. Oh yeah, I'd say.

You know, and listen, I mean, we could sit here and pound our chest here on Canada's side but like still in good shape that Olympic program and the USA hockey and where things are heading in the growth of hockey down in the States it's the needles moving oh yeah we're always going to be in hot competition with them for the rest of time now like we're I'm not just cuz they're going up doesn't mean we're going down it just means we're gonna be in dogfights every yes addition yeah and much like your bet 365 line Minus 110 minus Split right down the middle pick them

I will say that it's just you know, it's nice that we have a little head start on them in the rec in the finals You know Yeah, four and one in the big fire five one or four and one the big finals like it's nice that We have those heads eyes see the image I tweeted out for the game of Clark Gillies I did laying on the American go Clark Gillies? I did. Laying on the American goaltender after scoring a goal. Like literally just like leaning right on top of the guy.

Just like squashed as Canada scores a goal. Really a great image. I think that those jerseys, they should, for the Olympics in 2026, they should do something like that. Like a throwback to that. All white with the red. With the red. Or maybe do a newer version of it somehow. I don't know what you do. Check out my feed. It's on next summer. At JT Bourne.

The reaction to Charlie McAvoy reading the starting lineup and not being able to play. So it's easy to understand why the guy would take a needle to try to play God What a talk about passion? Yeah guy cares guy cares and how about the chance for Johnny hockey in Boston? That was really special You know and full credit to the crowd there too one of the best crowds in memory where? Canada scores to open up the game and you're waiting for everyone to fall quiet Canada scores to open up the game and you're waiting for everyone to fall quiet USA chance right away like they didn't go away that crowd they were there the whole game. That was a great atmosphere

Do you guys want to sneak it? I did through the Canada line today. Yeah Well, we'll do some in there. We'll do some in the in the national hour as well, but one in right now All right. Let's go Derek let's go to Bernie from Sudbury. I was thinking about your roller coaster ride last night, each time Canada and the US scored in regulation. When Canada scored in OT, I thought of your explosion of your relief. I thought of your explosion of your relief. I hope you slept well and yes Marner did come through with a really too big Assist and to you kipper. I hope you put down a bundle on your three to prediction excellent show boys

Thank you. Have a good day. I Wouldn't say I got as much sleep as I would like. So where did you watch? I went downtown to an establishment. And how was it? It was an electric, electric crowd. Everyone was fired up. And I was with some of my best buds in the world. And it just, I had-

Were you able to enjoy the game? Not just, not joking when I say that. No, no, no. Zero enjoyment the entire time until that puck entered the net But it had a real Olympic. There's a real bias there's a real buzz and it wasn't just me that had the real buzz it was really good and I Just having that moment around a bunch of Canadians and like as a Canada's Taking a beating here for a little while

It hasn't been like roses for a while and we all know the political climate and everything around it. But just to have that unifying moment with all your friends and like, you know, that goal goes in. I just hugged, I grabbed my buddy Dave on my best, but I'm just like, I love you, man. Like we just hugged. We hugged. I couldn't stop hugging everybody. It's just, there's nothing like it. And there's poor out on Yonge Street or like... There's a few people out in the streets, a couple things. It wasn't like it was 2010 or anything. But I saw a few people, a couple high fives here and there and I did make a business decision I was like, ah, these guys are going on to it further establishment

I'm like, I'm gonna go home and go home and then I got home and I turn on the TV and Can you read and Ivanka and Luke guys? I'm like Wow Just gonna crack another beer here and just sat down and watch another hour of just the coverage of everybody talking It's just you're watching everything in your video on your there's coverage of everybody talking. It's just, you're watching everything on your, there's just nothing like it. There's just nothing like it. It's truly nothing like it. Did I see a picture on Twitter

of you with a dart in your mouth? No, it's not Twitter. I said it to you guys, firstly. Oh. But yeah, Sam literally doesn't smoke. I don't want you smoking. I don't want you smoking. I don't smoke.

All right, I don't even want you to, I don't want you to pretend you're smoking listen my parents not good for you I know my I my parents are listening to the show. So sorry parents, but I do like to have a celebratory dark No, and nearly celebratory We might one of my best buddies Philly went out and we hacked one we watched the highlights We talked about how great Canada's you know what though the main conversation we had was is that we're both die-hard Lee fans We're both die-hard Jays fans. You know the Raptors gave us something you know all my teams generally

Don't come through for me. You know I had the Raptors That's the sporting the Jays when I was a kid kid came through But like that was nothing that for me at that point like I was a little twerp at that point, but having Canada Always comes through so we always will through at the highest level will this make up for? Vlad E and Mitch Marner leaving my god Yeah Depends if I wish the Yankees like it depends he's like money spent. Let's go to this is a great call to set up our next guest.

Let's go to Don and Kitchener. I just got a problem with this Doug McLean guy, you know, listen, if he wants to go swimming, pickleball socialize, whatever, he can do that Saturday, Thursday. He is supposed to be on your show every Friday and we expect him to be there. If this is a problem with with him, I know a guy. Take care guys. Rachel. Sonny nailed it. Author and scholar Doug McLean.

We have offers of enforcement from that's great. We could use it trying to get a... We will let him know in a few minutes when we come back at the top of the hour, Doug McClain will join us and give his thoughts so on Don's comments first before even Team Canada. I know we gotta go here quickly, but the top, the guys that play on this team

that are a lock for so so cheap guts that's a that's a bat blue brain there for Milan so if I read these names off to you and then you can answer yes or no how about how about I give you the just the nose okay it's Bennett oh is Bennett a lock yeah lock but he raised his lock McKinon McDavid Marner lock locks Harley Macar Reinhart The grander it's not a lock. No Ryan. I said a lock for me dowdy a lock, but no likely Hagel Sorelle Jarvis not la really Jarvis not locks, but Hagel lock Sid Marshand says not a lock. Oh no, you don't know in two years. He's almost 40 next year. Okay, 39

Yeah, you're right next year. Yeah Merchant Really go down Marcian perico Marcian locks not on Sanheim Taves lock point lock and then I don't know about Stone. That calendar year screws me up. I know. World Cups two years, Olympics next year.

I can't keep track. You don't have to. Sam will. Okay, it's Off the Rails Friday. Doug McLean at the top of the hour. You're not going to want to miss it. Also, Kevin Zegers, Canadian Canadian actor will join us to tee up an LA Strong charity event that we'll talk to as well. Don't go away on the

Real Kipper and Bourne show!